Best Friends Or more?
by vballgirl1014
Summary: "I just couldn't pretend with Austin. He knew me better than I knew myself." Austin is always there for Ally, but there are some things that even he doesn't know about her. Auslly
1. Sleepover

Best Friends… Or more?

I strolled into my father's store, Sonic Boom, and flipped the "Closed" sign to "Open" as I went, yawning. A certain playful, blond boy trailed happily after me, repeating my name over and over until I acknowledged him.

"Yes, Austin?" I turned and smiled at his boyish grin. Austin Moon, my music partner and best friend, was a morning person, which I was definitely not.

"Hey, Ally! I just wanted to say good morning." His large brown eyes danced and glistened as they peered into mine. Those puppy-dog eyes have gotten him into so much mischief. I chuckled to myself at the thought.

"Well now that you've said it, do you mind moving those boxes upstairs to the storage room? I really need some extra help with the inventory today." I said. As he got to work carrying boxes upstairs, I opened the register and polished some of the instruments. I could hear Austin grunting or yelping in pain as he dropped a heavy box on his toe occasionally.

Soon our other best friends, Trish and Dez, arrived, bickering as they always were.

"You promised that you would help me scrub my turtle yesterday!" Dez whined.

"Why would I ever say that?" Trish retorted, rolling her eyes. The small Latino girl had quite a temper.

"I don't know, but Superman needs cleaning, and it is a two person job!" The tall redhead stalked off towards the tubas in the back corner of Sonic Boom.

"His turtle's name is Superman? What on earth…" Trish sighed to herself and walked to the counter where I was silently polishing instruments while eavesdropping on their amusing conversation. "Hey, Ally, how's it going? Wow, you look really tired."

"I had to stay up late last night and finish the summer reading. Even I hated that book!" I exclaimed.

"Ally, we don't have school for another two months! You are such a dork." Trish tossed her voluminous curls over her shoulder, scoffing. Austin jogged down the steps and plopped himself on the counter next to us.

"It's ok, Ally. I think it's cute." He winked and poked me. I felt a blush creeping up to my cheeks. Even though he was my best friend and nothing more, I always got nervous about these flirty comments he would say.

Suddenly, a loud blaring noise shook the whole store, and we all covered our ears. There was a huge crash followed by a girlish scream, and we all yelled "Dez!"

"Sorry! I think I lost my touch on the tuba…" Dez shrugged sheepishly. After all the broken instruments and damaged eardrums, I've accepted that no one can stop Austin and Dez's fooling around, and have learned to embrace it. Sort of.

On my lunch break, I was sitting in the food court sipping my strawberry smoothie, secretly watching Dallas and his adorable hair and smile and skin and eyes and… "Ally!" Austin abruptly interrupted my Dallas-stalking and sat down next to me.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I was distracted. Hey, do you want the rest of my smoothie?" I turned my attention to Austin. His long legs were stretched out under the table, completely taking up my space, just like they always do.

"Sure," he said, taking my smoothie, "Where's your dad? At another convention?"

"Yep, up in Birmingham. It's cellos this time." I smiled at my dad's quirkiness. I didn't really mind being alone at home a lot, especially since Austin liked to keep me company.

"Come over for dinner tonight. My mom is making burgers or something. Anyways, I was hoping we could go to the beach tomorrow?" He looked at me hopefully, knowing my dislike for the sand, sun, and sea. I put up with it sometimes for Austin, but I'd rather spend my time watching a movie, or casually walking past the cell phone accessory cart…

"I guess, but not for the whole day. You know how I hate all that sand in places it shouldn't be." I looked at him firmly. He nodded eagerly, taking whatever he can get. He glanced up at Dallas, and looked back at me. I saw the knowing look he gave me, but ignored it. Why does he always see right through me?

"Just talk to him!" He prompted.

"Definitely not. I just get so nervous and end up completely embarrass myself around him. How do you have so much confidence? Man, I wish I had some of that." I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"It's a gift. You know how I do." He laughed. I rolled my eyes. "But I could try to help you. Teach you some of my amazing moves." Austin suggested.

"We both know how that would turn out. Nope. What's the point, anyways? He would never like me. I'm just… Ally. I'm not fun or anything like you are." I looked down. I know he would try to object and make me feel better, but I know it's the truth.

Austin's warm hand grasped mine while the other forced my chin up, meeting my eyes with his. They burned with determination, and I squirmed under his strong gaze. I just couldn't pretend with Austin. He knew me better than I knew myself.

"Stop. You are great, Ally. I wish you could see how freaking amazing you are! No matter what, I love you." He flashed his famous Austin Moon smile, and I had to smile back.

"Thanks, Austin. I love you too. "As I spoke the words, I realized how much I meant them. The crazy thought went through my mind that maybe I should be with Austin… But, no. I couldn't do that and risk our friendship. I wouldn't be able to live without him if I lost. Every day, I am afraid I will lose everyone. I know they will all leave me someday, and I can't stand it. Austin, in particular. He is such a kind, joyful spirit, and I can't lose him. It's selfish, actually, how much I need and rely on him.

"Hi, Carrie. How are you?" I greeted Austin's mother as she opened the door for me. I could already smell the delicious smells from the kitchen. Austin is so lucky to have a great mom that cooks so well.

"Oh, I am wonderful. And you? I was so happy when Austin said you were coming. You know you're always welcome, Ally." She had the same warm eyes Austin had, and she smiled. I thought of her as my own mom sometimes, since I didn't really have that.

"I'm great. Thanks!" I said. Austin came flying down the stair banister with wet hair and no shirt. He hopped off and grinned at me. I chuckled at the sight of him.

"Ally, come on!" He pulled me quickly back up the stairs and to his room, me waving helplessly to Carrie from his grasp on me. We entered the messy yellow room with a music note on the door. He jumped on his bed, while I took my usual spot in his desk chair.

" Is it possible that this place got messier?" I looked around. I was itching to clean, but resisted.

Ignoring my comment, he eagerly thrusted some papers into my hands. "I got some lyrics to a song, look!"

I read them over, and my eyes widened as I did. "Wow, Austin, these are great. When did you come up with these?"

"Last night. I couldn't sleep, so I just started writing!" He grinned, and it felt as if the world was suspended for a moment. It's like I caught a glimpse at true happiness in that one flash of a smile, and I was hypnotized. I couldn't help but mentally smack myself for thinking these weird thoughts about him. He's my best friend, for crying out loud!

"This is awesome. We should totally finish it so it can be your next hit! Looks like you won't be needing me very much anymore." I looked away from his eyes, fearing his absence from my life.

"Um, no. That will never happen Ally! I'm always gonna need you! Are you kidding?" Austin came over to me and poked me in the ribs. He grabbed a towel and dried his hair. I couldn't stop myself from staring at his toned stomach…

"Stop it, Ally!" I whispered.

"Huh?" He turned to me, a look of confusion on his face.

"Oh, nothing. Hey, let's go help your mom with dinner." I said, and left the room, avoiding his intuitive cocoa eyes.

We sat out on the Moons' back porch while we ate, with the beautiful flowers and sunlight shining. I loved their backyard. It was a place I wish I had grown up with, instead of our small, woodsy yard. Carrie had made great burgers with potato salad, and I was grateful for a good meal. My dad didn't really cook much at home, and I didn't have the time, since I normally worked the later shifts at the store.

"So how is Lester?" Carrie asked me.

"He's doing fine. I'm sure he's having fun up at his cello convention." I told her. Austin was passionately eating his burger next to me.

"That's good. Don't you get lonely over there all the time? I'm sure you wish he'd stay home more often. I know I miss Brett when he's out of town." She questioned with concern.

"Sometimes. I don't really miss him as much as I wish I had my mom around with me. It was different when she was here." Oops, I said too much. I don't like talking much about my mother. But it's just too easy to talk to Carrie. Austin straightened up at my words. He has always been curious about my mom, but I haven't said much, and he doesn't push me.

"I understand. I would be miserable without my mother. Do you talk with her much? Do you know where she is nowadays? Boy, I remember when I used to see her around the grocery store. She was always very friendly…" Carrie trailed off, knowing when to stop talking, in case she had said too much. My mother was a touchy subject around here, and everyone knew it.

"Um, no. I haven't heard from her at all." I say, abruptly ending the topic of conversation. Austin gives me a worried look, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. I push my potato salad around my plate, knowing they were both looking at me. I hate that look of pity when people talk about my mom.

"Well, now have you heard about that storm coming through tonight? I heard it would be pretty rough. You should stay over here." She says, moving on from the awkward silence. I'm glad she has, although I can still see Austin deep in thought.

"Yeah, I have. Maybe I should stay over, if you don't mind." I don't like all the Miami storms we get, and I hate being alone during the loud thunder and pouring rain.

"We can pull a mattress in my room." Austin says, finally speaking up.

"Can I trust you two in there alone?" Carrie says jokingly. I laugh nervously, and Austin looks down and blushes.

After I had gone to get my pajamas and toiletries for our little sleepover, I texted Trish and asked her to close up the store early. She's been helping around Sonic Boom some when my dad is out of town, and I can count on her, most of the time.

I went back over to Austin's house, and he opened the door for me right as I got there.

"Were you waiting for me?" I asked him.

"Pshh, no." He says with a laugh. Leading me up to his bedroom, I notice how good his hand feels in mine. It's tough yet warm, and makes me feel safe. I don't ever want to let go, even though I know I should.

I see the mattress set up right next to the bed, and I drop my things onto it. Austin looks over and moves them to his bed.

"What's that for?" I ask.

"You're sleeping on the bed, I'm sleeping on the floor. What do you think? I'm a good host." He says, smiling to himself. I push him playfully.

"No, I can sleep on the floor. You don't have to move!"

"But I want to!"

"But-"

"No." He says, and gives me a stern look. I bust out laughing. I love his facial expressions.

"Hey, I got us some movies we can watch. Look, I even got you a chick flick." He told me, holding up a movie with a man and woman in each other's arms in the rain, about to kiss.

"I'm not the only one here who likes chick flicks! You loved The Notebook when I made you watch it." I giggle at him, and he tosses a pillow at my head. "What? It's true!"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Don't forget, I still have all of the Zaliens movies…" He smirks.

A/N: Soooo…. What do you think? That's my first story! It's kind of boring, and pretty long. But I will definitely add chapters! Please review it. I need yall to help me out here!

I don't own Austin & Ally, or anything else. (The Notebook)


	2. Strange Dreams

Chapter 2: Strange Dreams

A/N: I am so happy right now! I literally just danced around my house. When I wrote that first chapter, I was really not expecting people to read it or even like it. Thanks soooooo much to the people who reviewed my story. I was really touched. (Oh gosh I'm such a loser haha) Anyways, I really hope yall enjoy this chapter. Please review! :)

Austin's POV

At about two in the morning, I woke with a start to the sound of thunder. Lightning flashed outside in the night, and flickered through the blinds on the window, revealing Ally's sleeping figure above me on my bed. I hoped the storm wouldn't disturb her; she looked like an angel with her dark hair encircling her head on the pillow. Wait, did I really just think that? Ally is my best friend! That was weird…

We ended up watching the chick flick (we both ended up shedding a tear or two), and Ally fell asleep to Zaliens 7. I had to carry her up to my bed afterwards. Not that I minded.

Suddenly my phone buzzed on the nightstand next to me. I grabbed it and looked at the text, knowing it would be Dez who wanted to talk at two in the morning.

_Dez: austin, where are you right now?_

_Austin: um in my room sleeping? why?_

_Dez: i just had a really weird dream…_

_Austin: what was it?_

_Dez: it was you and ally, like holding hands at the mall or something. IDK_

_Austin: ok…? and you wanted to tell me this why?_

_Dez: i just thought it was weird. man trish keeps asking me about what you think of ally._

_Austin: why would she do that? she knows were best friends._

_Dez: she said something about being a great matchmaker._

_Austin: oh gosh. _

_Dez: wait whats a matchmaker?_

_Austin: dez… just go back to bed._

_Dez: kay!_

"Austin?" I heard a groggy voice coming from my bed. Ally was sitting up rubbing her eyes sleepily, and I laughed at how adorable she looked.

"Hey, Ally. Why are you up?" I asked, worried she was scared of the storms. I knew she got scared when she was alone in storms, and I hoped she wouldn't be when she was with me.

"It was my dream. You were… And I was… Goodness it was strange." She sounded fully awake now. I got up and sat down next to her on the bed, resisting the urge to hold her close to me and rub her back. That would be crossing a line…Right?

I wanted to see her face better, so I flipped the switch on my lamp next to us. I could see her tangly hair and holey t-shirt she wore to bed. "Ally, that didn't make any sense at all. Explain." I prompted her.

"Well, we were at the beach, and it was so bizarre because I felt truly happy! Normally I hate the beach, you know that. But I was laughing and swimming in the ocean with you and it was just so great! Man, now I wish I hadn't woken up." The shy brunette next to me bit her lip and looked down at her hands, disappointed. I laughed at her logic.

"How about you and me go to the beach later when the storm passes over, and we can try to reenact your dream." I smiled at the thought. Maybe I'll teach her how to surf someday!

"I don't think you want to reenact the whole thing." Ally shook her head. "There was another part… you and me…kind of… together." She finished her sentence and blushed a deep scarlet. I raised an eyebrow. Did she really dream that? I put an arm around her small shoulders. She seemed so fragile, and I hoped she would never be broken.

"I see. Well, maybe we'll just skip that part." I cleared my throat, and suddenly became interested in the little thread hanging off of my sheets.

"Yeah, of course." Ally shrugged my arm off her shoulders and hopped up. "Well, as long as we're up, do you want to play Go Fish? Except we are not playing with cheese, ok?" She giggled and flashed me that heart-breaking Ally Dawson smile.

"Austin! Are you up?" I heard my mom yell from down in the kitchen, making my favorite chocolate chip pancakes.

"Yeah! We'll be down in a second!" I holler back. I hoped she wouldn't come up here. Ally and I were in a very… compromising position at the moment. We decided to play Twister instead of Go Fish. And, well, you know how it goes. Sometimes putting a right foot on a certain yellow circle can be pretty awkward.

Ally chose that moment to fall, and we ended up in a big, tangled up heap on the floor. She burst out laughing; I felt her whole body shaking. I started tickling her ribs, and she laughed even louder, causing me to grin.

"S-stop! You-are-a-monster!" She exclaimed in between breaths.

I untangled myself and helped her up. Ally's face was red from all the laughing, and I poked her one last time on the way downstairs. Her strange dream was still on my mind from last night, and I hoped Ally would still come to the beach with me.

"There you are. I was starting to get worried when I heard all that laughing. You two look like you just wrestled a chicken!" My mom smiled as she poured some more pancake batter onto the grittle.

"Close enough!" Ally went to help my mom scoop pancakes onto a plate and brought them to the table. I was glad my mom liked Ally so much. She asks about her all the time. You'd think she wished Ally was her kid and not me!

I always wondered about Ally's mother. She never says much about her, and I figure she'll tell me when she's ready, like the reason why she has stage fright. All I know is that Ally's mom left when Ally was really young, and they used to visit. Not so much anymore. I can't imagine what it's like for her, not having a very good mother. Lester's done a pretty good job raising her, though, even if he does leave her alone a lot.

We sat down to eat, and Ally watched me in amazement as I drenched my pancakes in maple syrup.

"Please excuse my son's pigginess. I promise he didn't learn it from me!" My mom told Ally. I rolled my eyes and put another big bite in my mouth.

"It's ok, Carrie, I'm used to it already. Austin has displayed his love for pancakes to me on several occasions." She winked at me and I blushed a little. Why does Ally have to be so freaking cute?

Trish and Dez were currently building a house of cards, and Ally was helping a customer with some trumpets. I sat, bored, in the corner, and made a chain of paper clips.

"Stop knocking them over, Dez!" Trish complained.

"I just can't get them to balance!" Dez whined, and I heard a whack as Trish hit him with a violin bow. I rolled my eyes at the two of them. Even though they fought all the time, they still hung out. I never can understand them.

"Can you please tone your fighting down when I'm helping customers? My dad has already made comments about you disturbing the store." Ally shot Trish and Dez a look. The tall redhead left Trish and the house of cards to go "organize" his backpack, and Ally wandered over to where I was sitting.

"Hey, I'm almost finished with the new song. You can take a look and see if you can use some of your magic powers to conjure up some other good lyrics." She handed me the sheet music, and I read the lyrics Ally had written.

"These are great! Thanks, Ally!" I reached over to hug her, and I felt her thin arms wrap around me.

"You're welcome. Do you still want to go to the beach today? I can ask Trish to watch the shop for a few hours." Ally asked.

"Yeah! That would be awesome. I'll go get my bathing suit." I hopped off the counter and ran out of the store, eager to get back to Ally and the beach.

"Don't look." Ally's nervous voice came from behind the curtain.

"Ally, come on." I sighed, wishing she would just come out already.

She had spent at least 15 minutes in a dressing room in the mall, trying to find a bathing suit for the beach. I knew Ally was shy and nervous, but I didn't know she was insecure about herself.

"Where's Trish when I need her? You're not going to be any help!" Ally complained. She had taken several bathing suits in there, all of which were bikinis. I had never seen Ally in a bikini before…

Ok, that was way too much. I mentally erased that thought from my mind.

"Look, I'm sure they're all great. Just pick your favorite and I'll even pay for it." I offered, wanting to get out of this girly store and onto the beach.

"I-I'm coming out." Ally's voice shook. I wished she would realize how beautiful she is and stop being insecure.

The curtain opened, and revealed a slim, dark haired beauty in a pretty red polka-dot bikini. I gaped.

"That's um, great Ally. You look, ahem, great. It's really, really great." I stumbled over my words, trying express how I felt when I saw her.

"Haha. Thank you, Austin." She smiled and put a hand on her hip and looked in the mirror. I desperately wished I could hear what she was thinking right at that moment.

When out of the store, I skipped happily ahead of Ally towards the beach. She laughed, and the breeze carried the sweet sound up into the sky. I gazed up at the sun, grateful the storm had gone away.

"Go on Austin. You don't have to wait for me. I know how much you want to get to the beach." Ally nudged me. I hugged her and ran out of the mall and onto the boardwalk. Today was great for the beach, and the beautiful blue sea was calling my name. I kicked off my flip flops and threw off my shirt, sprinting towards the water.

I whooped with pure joy, and dove around. I turned around to see a huge surprise. Ally, laughing and running towards the water. Normally Ally doesn't ever want to come in! I yelled to her, and she grinned and ran faster. "I love you, Ally." I whispered to myself, knowing what I said was the truth.

A/N: Finished with the 2nd chapter! Oh, and I forgot to mention that I don't own Austin and Ally or the game Twister. More chapters to come. Please review!


	3. Significant Moments

Chapter 3: Significant Moments

A/N: I'm so excited for this story. I have a lot of good ideas, but I'm just not sure which ones to use! Thanks again to yall who reviewed, I really appreciate the supportive comments. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Ally's POV

"No, Trish, I don't believe you've told me about that." I yawned, trudging sleepily beside my excited friend. She was rambling on about some new celebrity couple that I honestly did not care about one bit.

"And then boom! I killed my math teacher." Trish exclaimed and I continued walking.

"I knew it! You weren't even listening! What's wrong, Ally?" She grabbed my arm and pulled me back to her. I rubbed my eyes, in a confused daze.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just so tired. I was up so late last night, and I completely…" My words trailed off as I realized I couldn't really remember much, I was so exhausted. Trish patted my arm, and pulled me towards Sonic Boom, muttering something about finding a bucket of icy water…

I was leaning on the counter behind me, absentmindedly pushing buttons on the register, when a hand waved in front of my face unexpectedly.

"Ah!" I yelped, and turned around to see who my attacker was. Austin. Who else?

"Hey, Ally! Wanna practice a song?" The blond boy was practically hopping up down with excitement. His eager, toothy grin brought a small smile to my face, and I yawned again.

"Hi, Austin. You scared me there. Sorry, what was it you wanted to do?" I asked, not comprehending anything he was saying. He sighed, and took my shoulders with both hands, looking deeply into my eyes. Austin leaned in close to my face, and my breath hitched. What was he doing? My eyes slowly closed, and I leaned forward a little, expecting… who knows what.

"WAKE UP!" I jumped a mile high, knocking the cash register off the counter beside me. My eyes flew open, and I smacked Austin in the arm. He snickered.

"What was that for?" I yelled.

"You were still half asleep! I want to practice a song with you but you weren't paying any attention!" Austin explained. I sighed, wishing I was in my bed, with a nice cozy blanket. For a second there, I almost thought he was leaning in to kiss me. And I probably wouldn't have pulled away. Wait, what? Austin is my best, best friend. Why would I ever even consider kissing him? But his lips were right there, and his body heat was radiating off of him, and I just couldn't think clearly. That's it. I'm just tired, that's all. No need to worry, Ally. Just calm down.

After napping for a very long time on a couch in the practice room, I felt refreshed and awake. I jogged down the steps, to find my three best friends dancing happily around the store. I rolled my eyes, wondering if I even wanted to know what was going on.

"What's up, you guys?" I tried to get someone's attention, but they were still dancing. "HEY!" I finally yelled. They all stopped and turned to look at me in confusion. I giggled at their expressions.

"Guess what, Ally? Guess what? Guess what?" Dez ran over to me like a little kid, tugging on my arm.

"What? What is it?" I asked, smiling.

"We're all going to go camping!" Trish shouted. My jaw dropped. Trish was excited about camping? She is definitely not an outdoorsy type. She didn't even like going strawberry-picking because it was outside in trees and plants and dirt.

"Trish? You actually want to go camping?" I said in disbelief.

"Well, it's going to be in a really nice park, and we're getting cool tents and sleeping bags. I'll just make sure to bring a ton of bug spray! It's gonna be so much fun!" My small latino friend explained happily. I shrugged, still not really understanding why she wanted to go camping. Everyone resumed their goofy dancing, myself included this time.

Dez and Trish had left, and Austin and I were alone. I had closed Sonic Boom. We were wiping down counters and polishing instruments. My dad was coming back tomorrow, and I wanted him to think I did a good job with the store while he was away.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of strong arms loop around my body, lifting me up off the ground. I laughed, knowing it was Austin. He turned me around so I could see his face, and our eyes met. I knew exactly what he was feeling. We were both excited for camping and being able to spend more time together. His warm brown irises bore into mine, and I could feel his breath on my face. A lock of soft blond hair concealed one eye, and I gently reached up to move it away. He leaned into my touch, and I heard my breath intake with surprise at how much I was feeling at that moment. I loved Austin. So much. And I was going to tell him.

"Austin, I love you." I whispered, without any fear. I knew I was safe with Austin, and I knew he wouldn't ridicule me or reject me.

"I love you too Ally. More than you know." He whispered back, and brushed a thumb across my cheek, a blush creeping up behind it. His hand found mine, and we stood like that for what seemed like an eternity. I was mesmerized by _him_. Austin overwhelmed my senses entirely, and I loved it. Forget best friends. I didn't have a care in the world.

"Hey kids, I'm back!" The door burst opened to reveal my cheery father, with his new cello t-shirt and silly matching tie. I stepped away from Austin immediately, and Austin threw his hands up in the air as if being arrested. A nervous laugh escaped from my mouth, and I went over to hug my dad.

"Welcome back, Dad! I missed you." I said as he hugged me. I could see Austin loitering awkwardly in the corner, unsure of what to do.

After a few more minutes of chatting, Austin got up to leave.

"Sorry." I said sheepishly and gave him a hug. He shrugged and gave me a small smile as he walked out.

(A week or so later)

I had extremely mixed emotions about what had gone on between Austin and I. I felt confused, embarrassed, and I just wished I knew what we were anymore. I meant everything I had said, but I had no way of knowing if he felt the same. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to _date him_. That would just be so strange.

It was the morning of the day we left to go camping. We had loaded up our tents and sleeping bags, and coolers of food. We were staying at a nice park for 2 days. I was worried about what would it be like between Austin and I.

Suddenly my phone rang, and I answered to hear Austin's voice. His sweet, musical voice…

"Hey. Bad news." He said.

"What is it?" I asked nervously. Was he going to back out because of me?

"Trish and Dez can't come. Dez sprained his ankle skateboarding in his bedroom, and Trish has a really bad cold. Looks like it's just me and you! If you still want to…" He told me.

"Of course I still want to. I'll see you at our original time, ok?" I said, happy I would be with Austin. Wait. Dez was skateboarding in his bedroom? How on earth….?

Freezing, rainy weather. Disfunctional tents. Horrible bathrooms. Our camping trip was not going well.

We arrived at the park in the truck we had borrowed from Trish's dad. There was a combination of drizzle and sleet, and it was freezing. We attempted to set up our brand new tent, but apparently German directions do not provide much help. I went to look at the bathroom facilities. You don't even want to know.

We ended up sitting in the truck with dozens of blankets covering us, and listening to a Spanish radio, since there were no other available stations.

Austin and I had made small talk, and we made an effort at our friendly banter, but there was still tension. All I could think was, "This is all my fault." I was the one who had started the proclamations of love and the… intimacy. I wish we were still just best friends. I felt comfortable there.

Out of the blue, Austin looked up at me, piercing me with his deep chocolate brown eyes. I bit my lip, holding back my emotions. Then he asked me a question I was not prepared for.

"What happened with your mom, Ally?" His innocence was outstanding, and I resisted the urge to hug him fiercely.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked him cautiously, afraid to say much.

"I was just curious, and I want to understand you and know you completely." No joke, my heart melted. Seriously. I could've sworn I felt it melt like an ice cube in the hot Miami sun.

I stuttered nervously, "Well-I-uh-I…" I took a deep breath. You can do this, Ally. Tell him. Tell him everything. Just let it out for once. Come on.

It felt so sudden and abrupt, that the words tumbled out all at once. My whole story. Laid out for him to see.

"My mother left when I was five. My dad loved her a lot, and he didn't know anything was wrong. I looked up to her so much, and I wanted to be just like her. She had an affair. I didn't find out the reason for the divorce until about four years ago, when I was eleven. All that time, she had gone on as if nothing was wrong. She married the man she cheated with, and I visited her sometimes. I felt rejected and mad and just really confused. I was mad at her, and I would cry a lot. No one knew. They thought I was fine. One day, I blew up at her. I yelled at her for leaving me and not caring about anyone but herself. How could a mother leave her own child like that? I cried and ran from her, and thought I could forget everything. Ever since then… I've just been so scared everyone will leave me. I can't trust people not to go and leave me behind. It scares me that I need people so much, but they don't need me at all."

The tears were flowing, and I could feel his eyes watching me. I was ashamed of my tears, and I tried to stop them in vain. I wished I was strong and could say this without breaking down. A comforting arm wrapped around me and pulled me towards Austin's warm body. I leaned my head on his shoulder and cried like I never had before. Why did he have to see me so weak and vulnerable?

Austin said nothing for what seemed like forever. I was grateful, and just wanted to let my feelings out. His silence was oddly reassuring and comforting. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve, and reached over to hug him.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry, Ally. I love you." He said in a steady, calm voice. I tried to pull away and reply, but he pulled me back. "Don't. Just come here." He said, and I obeyed, absorbing his warmth.

"Thank you, Austin. I really… I just really needed this. I love you." I told him, meaning every single word.

"Look, Ally, I want you to tell me everything. Don't be afraid to talk with me. I'll always listen." Austin's words put a smile on my face. "And I want you to know that I will never leave. I need you so much. I couldn't be without you. You are my best friend, no wait, you're more. I won't leave you, Ally." He spoke quietly, and I understood.

"I know." I replied, suddenly happy we were trapped in a truck with a Spanish radio playing in the backround. I just wanted to be there with Austin.

Suddenly, Austin Moon leaned over slowly and pressed his warm lips to my cheek, and held them there longer than an ordinary kiss. When he pulled away, I met his eyes, and the answer to all my questions and worries were there. Austin loved me, and I loved him. It was special, and nothing else mattered in that small, yet significant moment.

A/N: So, how was it? I loved writing this. I actually got a little emotional :) Please review and tell me what you thought!


	4. Magic Kingdom

Chapter 4: Magic Kingdom

A/N: Sorry for not updating in a few days! I know a lot of yall thought my story was over, but I decided to write some more to it. Anyways, hope yall like it! Please review!

Ally's POV

I was being kidnapped. Taken against my will. Shoved into a dark closet and harassed. By none other than my best friend, Trish.

She marched into Sonic Boom, grabbed my arm, and yanked me into the storage closet without listening to my protests. She had that scary look of determination on her face, and I quit talking. Something was up.

"So. You and Austin, huh? When were you gonna tell me?" She demanded, closing the door behind us.

"Oh, thank God! I thought you were about to tell me some ridiculous plan like you do." I sighed, grateful I wasn't being dragged into another Trish situation.

"Answer me! Are you and Austin dating?" Trish asked again.

"Um, well, I, uh… don't really know." I admitted sheepishly. After our special camping trip, we never really decided anything, and I was pretty confused myself. Neither of us had said anything about dating, but there was something there.

"You don't know. How do you not know if you're dating someone or not? Look, if I don't hear the whole story, I will kill you." She tapped her foot impatiently, and I chuckled at her dramatic tone.

I continued to explain everything in great detail. She went into a laughing fit when I told her how Austin had kissed my cheek, and I blushed.

"Why are you laughing? It's not funny!" I yelled.

"He kissed your cheek! What a wimp! That is too hilarious!" Trish cackled, and I rolled my eyes. I thought it was sweet what he did. I'm glad he didn't try to actually kiss me. I don't think I could've handled those warm, soft lips against my own…

My phone vibrated in my back pocket, and I pulled it out and glanced at the screen. Austin's picture popped up, and I laughed at how goofy he looked. He was holding Dougie the Dolphin and grinning big for the camera. Dez's foot was in the top of the picture because he had fallen off a table when I took the picture.

_Austin: hey ally, meet me at my house for dinner. mom's making mexican. :)_

_Ally: cool, ill be there soon. can't wait!_

Carrie was making Mexican food? My favorite! I grabbed my bag and headed out the door towards the Moon residence.

When I arrived, Austin opened the door, grabbed my hand, and pulled me into the kitchen, where the delicious aroma of Mexican came from. I passed the walls with the family pictures on them, and I always marveled at how much Austin looks like his father.

"Ally's here. We're going out back." Austin told his mom and kept pulling me to the back porch.

"Hi, Carrie!" I said before I was dragged out by a certain blond boy. She waved to me with a twinkle in her eye, and winked. I could tell she thought we were together, and I hoped she didn't quiz me on it later.

Once on the cool back porch, we sat on the bench side by side, my hand still in his. I desperately hoped mine weren't sweaty and gross.

He jumped into a cheerful conversation, telling me about going surfing with Dez, and I told him about the wacky customers we got at the store that day. One man actually asked me for a banana. People these days.

There was a pause in our comfortable conversation. He rubbed his thumb across the back of my hand, and I blushed, looking away. Why did I always get so nervous around him?

"Ally." He said quietly, making me turn back. His warm brown eyes looked into mine with concern. I knew he was thinking about what I had told him about my mom on our camping trip. I'm sure he felt weird about it.

"Yes?" I responded, moving closer to him. His body heat was a magnet, and I was a paper clip. He's just so irresistible.

"I just want you to remember what I said when we went camping. You can tell me anything. I mean it." He said earnestly, and I felt my cheeks burn even more.

"Thanks. I guess there is one thing I'd like to say. Actually, it's more of a question." I said slowly, cautiously.

"Yeah?" Austin urged me on, and I took a deep breath. How would he react?

"Trish and I were talking, and she kind of brought up you… and me. And she wanted to know… if we were….erm, dating." I finished, waiting for him to reply. I saw him think for a moment, and I studied his focused expression, searching for any indications.

"Huh. Well, I don't really know. What do you think?" He asked.

"That's just it. I don't know either. I mean, what do you even _feel_ for me?"

"Ally, I love you. You know that. You're amazing, and you're my best friend ever. Of course, I feel something more for you. I'm sure you know that too. Why else would I kiss you?" Austin ran a hand through his tousled blond locks. I frowned. Why did he look so distressed?

"Yeah. I think you're great, and you're my best friend too. And, I feel more for you too. I always get so nervous and anxious around you. I love you." I muttered, looking down. I was so embarrassed. Why did I bring this up? Stupid, Ally. He'll never want you.

He pulled me onto his lap, and I rested my head on his shoulder. It seemed to fit so perfectly. His steady breathing calmed me, and I felt his heart beat. It just felt so good.

"I want to be with you. I want to be everything for you, everything you need. Stop being so doubtful. I love you, ok? I love you. " Austin spoke softly into my ear, and I reached up to move a beautiful piece of blond hair away from his eyes. Why did he do this to me? I was still so confused.

"I want to be with you too. You make me feel so good, and I don't ever want to lose that." I said honestly. I was still afraid that he'll leave. Everyone will leave. And I'll be left alone. I was scared.

Tears escaped my eyes, I wiped them away quickly. He's already seen me so weak, and I didn't want to be even more vulnerable. Unfortunately, the tears kept falling. Austin looked down and saw me crying. Silently, he offered me his shirt to dry my eyes on. I gladly accepted. He rubbed my back, and hummed softly.

"What's wrong, Ally?" He asked me, and I heard a sadness in his voice that I had never heard before.

"I'm just so confused. And scared. I don't want to lose you." My body melted into his, and I closed my eyes, blocking out the world. It was just me and Austin.

"You won't. You're never gonna lose me. And I hope I won't ever lose you." He continued humming softly, and I recognized one of the songs we had written together. A small smile touched my face.

"Should we date?" Austin's voice suddenly seemed so small, and I opened my eyes to see him staring off at the distance.

"Good question." I chuckled.

"Hey, I got an idea!" Austin straightened up, sad eyes turned cheery. "We don't have to be anything." He said eagerly.

"What?" Austin's thoughts were way ahead of mine.

"What I mean is, we don't have to be 'boyfriend and girlfriend'. We can do what we want, be whatever we want, and we don't have to worry about the rules. Just Austin and Ally." He smiled down at me, and I smiled back. His happiness is contagious.

"I like it. No rules. Just me and you." I repeated, thinking it over. It made sense. If it didn't work out, we didn't have to "break up". We'd just go back to being normal.

"I can kiss you anytime I want." He whispered, looking down at me. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I blushed furiously. I hoped he would…

To complete or movie-moment, he ducked his head to kiss me. This time, it was real. Our lips moved together, and I felt like I was falling, spinning. His strong arms wrapped around me, and I played with his soft hair. Gosh, I love his hair… My thoughts were jumbled up, and I couldn't think straight. I felt so safe, and protected. Nothing could touch me in Austin's arms. We paused, and I felt Austin's warm breath on my face.

"Dinner time!" Carrie came outside, and we leapt apart, me tumbling to the floor in surprise.

The first part of dinner was mostly quiet. Austin's foot rubbed my leg under the table, and I blushed. Carrie looked at me strangely.

"So, what was that all about outside?" She finally broke the ice. I looked at Austin, and Austin looked at me. He shrugged.

"Hey, Mom did you hear about the new museum they're building…" Austin attempted to change the subject, but it didn't fool Carrie.

"Oh, shush, Austin. Ally will tell me, won't you sweetheart?" She smiled at me, and I shrank down in my seat.

"I guess Austin and I are sort of… dating. Except we decided not to be together-together. Does that make any sense?" I explained. She snorted.

"Please. You two are boyfriend and girlfriend. Don't think I don't see the way you two look at each other. And Austin, you better treat her right. I like Ally, so don't go scaring her off." She laughed.

"Mom, it's not like that. We're just letting what happens, happen." Austin rolled his eyes.

"And there was definitely something happening over there." Carrie pointed out, referring to us kissing. I looked at the floor, embarrassed. "Well, I guess I might have to think twice before letting you two have sleepovers in the same room again…"

"Stop it, Mom. You know us." Austin scoffed.

"Sure, honey." Carrie smiled, shaking her head.

Despite her words, Austin's mom allowed us to have a sleepover up in his room. I texted my dad to let him know I was staying over, and he was fine with it. My father was a very trusting man; he knew I would be where I said I was. But perhaps he shouldn't have assumed that much this time.

"Austin, are you sure?" I whispered in the dark, reaching out to touch his arm. I couldn't see anything at all.

"Yeah, it's totally fine!" He assured me, and I saw his white blond shimmer with the moon's reflection.

We snuck out. Yes, Ally Dawson officially snuck out at night. I felt so dangerous and wild and nervouse. It was exhilarating! Austin had suggested we go out to the creek behind his backyard, and I agreed. Carrie was asleep, and there was no way we would get caught. Right?

I tripped over the long sweatpants I had borrowed from Austin. Since I didn't go home to get pajamas, I was wearing Austin's old sweats. And boy, were they comfy. And they smelled just like him…

"You ok?" He asked me. I got up, brushing my hands off.

"Yep. I'm good." I answered, hurrying to keep up with his long strides. Tall, dark trees surrounded us, and the brush underneath our feet made crunching noises as we walked. It felt pretty spooky to be out here at night. He reached out to take my hand, and I felt instantly comforted.

"There it is." He whispered, and I laughed at his eerie tone. The creek trickled over rocks and in between crevices. It wasn't very big.

"So this is it? Austin, I've seen puddles bigger than this." I told him jokingly.

"Sure, but do those puddles you speak of have magical qualities such as this great river?"

"No, this river is definitely special. Please demonstrate these great magical qualities you speak of, Sir Austin." I played along.

"Ok, but I must warn you, Madam Ally, that once you are touched by the water, you will automatically be affected. Be careful." Austin jumped over the creek to the other side, and landed in squishy mud. "Shoot!" He broke character, and my laughter rang out through the empty night.

"What happens when I touch the great water, Sir Austin?"

"You are granted amazing flying powers."

"Well, in that case, perhaps we should touch the water so we can fly away together, oh great Sir." I bend down, holding my hands above the creek.

"Perhaps we should. On the count of three. 1, 2, 3!" We both splashed the water at each other, laughing.

Austin snatched me by the waist and lifted me up.

"Look, I'm flying!" I giggled. We were so cheesy.

Austin gently let me down, but didn't let me go. "I'd fly away with you any day." He whispered from behind me.

We lay down on a soft spot of grass beside the creek, and stared up at the patches of sky that were visible through the tall trees. Our legs tangled up, hands intertwined, and heads resting on the other, I was in heaven. It really was our magic kingdom.

A/N: So, how was it? It was pretty cheesy at the end, I apologize. I had fun with this chapter. Please review! Thanks yall!


	5. Forget No Rules

Chapter 5: Forget "No Rules"

A/N: Sorry for not updating this story in a while! Anyways, I hope you like this chapter. Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Please review! Oh, and those little 7's mark the ending of the scene or whatever.

Austin's POV

Ally's beautiful voice rang out through the practice room of Sonic Boom, sending shivers down my spine. Her elegant fingers danced across the piano keys, telling a story, creating a wonderful melody. I closed my eyes, listening intently. Ally's shoulder bumped mine, and her foot nudged mine. I was trapped under her magical spell. She finished the song, and my eyes slowly opened, peering down into Ally's.

"How was that?" My sort-of-girlfriend-but-not-really smiled hopefully up at me. I wrapped my arm around her and gave her a squeeze.

"It was great! I wish the whole world could see how amazing you are." I told Ally.

She sighed, shaking her head. I knew I couldn't convince her to perform with me, but I couldn't help but try.

I felt a quick peck of Ally's lips on my cheek, and she got up to put her sheet music away. Snatching her waist to me, I gave her a real kiss. She smiled against my lips, and I released her, smoothing her shiny brown hair.

"Now that's not very fair. I want more." Ally whined, pulling me back to her. I laughed. Just as our lips met, Trish and Dez burst through the door, causing us to jump.

Dez turned around, covering his eyes, and screaming like a little girl. "Ew! Gross!" He yelped. I chuckled.

Trish sighed and picked up an apple from our fruit basket, taking a bite. "You guys are so mushy gushy. It's kind of gross, yet totally sweet. I called it." She said smugly, rubbing her apple on her shirt.

"Oh, hey, Trish. I have that top I borrowed from you last week. It's in my bag." Ally said.

"Yeah, and I have that cute red belt I borrowed a month ago. Oh wait. No, that's at my cousin's house in Puerto Rico…" Trish trailed off, biting her lip. Ally groaned, throwing Trish's shirt at her. I left, waving bye to Ally, and headed to the food court. Some fries sounded good…

7777777

All I could see was red. Fury, anger, jealousy, rage. No, not at Ally. At Dallas.

There Ally was, innocently walking by the cell phone accessory cart, when that jerk grabbed her arm and struck up a conversation. He was talking. Laughing. Casually flipping his hair back in that Justin Bieber way. _Flirting_.

Ally went along with it, but I could tell she wanted to get away. I decided to come to her rescue. Yep that's me. Ally's hero. You better watch it, Dallas.

I strode up next to Ally, throwing an arm around her shoulders. She jumped, startled by my sudden touch, but relaxed when she realized it was me. Dallas had a shocked look on his face.

"Hey, guys. Ally, you wanna come share my fries?" I asked nicely.

Dallas objected. "Yeah, well, we were just talking about the baseball team. I think I'm going to try out this year. Ally promised to come watch me play." He finished, smirking.

"Yes, but, you know, I really probably won't be able to make it-"Ally started, but I interrupted.

"Dallas, I really think you should leave Ally alone." I said bluntly, looking him straight in the eye. He raised his eyebrows, and I stood a little taller.

"And why is that?" Dallas countered. Ally looked as if she were about to bolt.

"Me and Ally are together now. So you need to stop flirting with her. She's not interested." I said. With that, I grabbed Ally's warm hand, and pulled her towards my table.

Once we sat down, Ally stomped on my foot. Hard.

"Why did you do that?" I hissed.

"You are unbelievable!" Ally hissed back. She looked so adorable when she was mad. I tried to touch her soft hair, but she slapped my hand away. I pouted.

"What did I do? Dallas needed to back off. What I said was true! I mean, do you really think I can watch him flirt with you when we were just kissing this morning?" I explained. She sighed, and I held her hand under the table.

"You're right. It was just kind of embarrassing. But thanks. He was kind being a jerk anyways. I really don't care about the baseball team." She said, rubbing her foot against my leg. I shuddered happily. "I can't believe I liked him before."

"Yeah, and now you've got me!" I laughed. She grinned, rolling her eyes.

7777777

The darkness swallowed my surroundings, and I tripped over something on the sidewalk. The moon shone brightly above, and I hummed one of my songs under my breath. It was pretty chilly out, so I zipped up my hoodie. The sheet music in my pocket rubbed against my body as I walked.

I was bored that night, and I had no interest in watching The Bachelor with my mom, so I took a walk towards Ally's house. I was sure she was asleep even at 10:30, being the nerd she is. I just wanted to know she was near.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps pounding the sidewalk. They seemed to being coming towards me. My breath caught in my throat, and I desperately hoped it wasn't a murderer. Preparing myself to fight, I stopped. Another body crashed into mine, sending us both to the ground. Struggling to get on top of my attacker, I straddled the person under me, raising my fist to punch.

"Austin! Stop!" a familiar voice yelled. I could see the face in the moonlight. Ally. My fist immediately lowered. She was in an old t-shirt and running shorts, with her wavy hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Ally? What are you doing? I thought you were a murderer!" my eyes widened.

"I'm on my run! What are you doing? And why did you think I was a murderer…?" She asked, with a confused expression on her face. I pushed a strand of hair back from her eyes. "Oh, and can you get off me now?"

I complied, getting myself up, and pulling her up with me. "I was on a walk. I wanted to go to your house to check on you, but I didn't think you'd be awake. I didn't know you ran." I said.

"Yeah, running helps me think. I can sort out my thoughts when I'm running." She told me, brushing herself off.

"Sorry for almost hitting you. I thought you were trying to attack me." I apologized. She nodded and smiled.

"It's ok." We stood there for a minute, under the bright stars. I realized we were pretty close to her house. Our eyes met, and I reached out to touch her hair. The silence between us wasn't awkward. It was comfortable. I kissed her softly, holding her small waist. Ally's hands played with my hair gently, and I held her closer to me.

I wanted to drown in Ally. Ally, Ally, Ally.

Headlights shone on us, and we turned to see who it was. Lester. Great.

He rolled down the window, and called out to us. "Come on, let's go." I couldn't tell if he was mad or not. We ran to the car, opening the door and sliding in the backseat. Wondering if he had seen us kissing, I blushed.

Ally's dad pulled off into the night towards their house. My hand gripped the door handle, nervous. Ally gave me a sheepish look. I knew Lester was always very protective of Ally since her mother left. He liked me, but I wasn't sure if his feelings would change when he knew we were kind of together.

Once in their house, he nodded to the living room for us to sit down. Uh oh. Ally and I sat together on the couch. I would've sat closer to her if Lester weren't here.

Lester cleared his throat loudly. "So, you gonna tell me something?" He raised an eyebrow. I looked to Ally to take the reins on this one.

"Austin and I are…we're sort of… well, we're dating. But it's very unofficial." She said, blushing.

"Ok…Well, I guess I saw that coming." Lester shrugged. Then he turned to me. "You better take care of her. I like you, but I am willing to protect my daughter at your cost." He told me sternly. I nodded vigorously, causing Ally to giggle.

"Dad, stop it."

"What? I'm just doing what it says in the dad manual." He laughed, and left the room. That was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

7777777

I sprinted through the mall, huffing and puffing to catch my breath. Man, I was out of shape. Cutting through the food court, I hurdled someone's small, barking dog, and kept moving. Finally, I reached Sonic Boom, and I quickly shut the doors and locked them. Ally looked up from her position at the front counter. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What's wrong, Austin?" She asked me.

"I-they-chasing-mall-can't breathe- girls-screaming-run-"I tried to get the words out in between loud breaths. Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I tossed my jacket onto the corner.

"Whoa. Slow down." She laughed, but her smile faded. She was watching something behind me outside. I turned to see what it was.

Oh no. It was those girls. They held up neon signs with my name plastered on them.

"Who are they? And why do they look like they were chasing someone?" She glanced at me, and realization was evident on her face. "Ohhh."

Finally, I caught my breath. "They're my fans, apparently. They saw me and started chasing me, screaming." I said. Ally frowned.

"Oh. Ok." She turned back to the cash register, hiding her face from my view.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing. You know, it's totally fine for strange, screaming girls to chase after my sort-of boyfriend. Because that's so normal." Ally said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, but what do you want me to do about it? I don't like it either. They're my fans, they keep my career going."

"And I don't? I'm the one who writes your stupid songs!" Ally blurted. She then ran upstairs to the practice room, slamming the door behind her. Following her, I found the door locked, but sat down outside the door to wait. She'd have to come out eventually.

After about a half hour, Ally opened the door a crack and looked down to see me sitting there. Her eyes were red and puffy. She'd been crying. I leaped up to hug her. My arms folded around her little body, and I smelled her strawberry scented shampoo.

"I'm sorry, Ally. You're right. I don't give you enough appreciation. You are the reason I have a career. Thank you." I said softly. She gave me a small smile. "And I'm sorry about those crazy girls. I want you to know that you're so much more important to me than them. I'd rather kiss you any day." I smirked.

"Thanks, Austin. I'm sorry for getting mad. But it's kind of obvious this isn't working." Ally frowned, and I wanted to change that more than anything else in the world.

"What isn't working?"

"This whole 'no rules' thing. You don't like seeing me with other guys, and I can't stand watching you being chased by girls, knowing you're not really mine." Those bright, chocolate brown eyes met mine, and I was captivated.

We just stared at each other for a moment. Were we breaking up? We weren't together in the first place, but still! I don't think I could go back to normal, knowing I could never kiss her or hold her like I had before. The thought choked me. Being without Ally was like being without pancakes!

"So. Where do we go from there?" I asked, afraid of her reply.

Ally thought for a minute. "Well, we have two options. Option one would be just going back to being friends. No more kissing or anything like that. Option two would be… together. Boyfriend girlfriend. You get it." She said matter-of-factly.

I didn't even have to think about my choice. All I had to do was worry about hers. "Option two." I declared, looking to her for approval.

Ally flashed me a brilliant smile, and pulled my head down to her level, meeting our lips. It was soft and gentle, making my heart rejoice. Gosh, I was such a chick.

"Is that good enough for an answer?" Ally laughed after we separated. I nodded, pulling her back to me. I didn't care about what time it was, if there were customers, or if I had plans. All I could think was_ her_. Ally Dawson.

A/N: Did you like this one? Let me know and review! Thanks for reading!


	6. Author's Note

Author's Note:

I'm pretty sure this story is done. I don't think I want to do much more with it. The place where I ended kind of left off right where I wanted it, and I wrote the story a lot faster than I thought I would. I wish it was longer! But I think it's ok. So don't expect any more chapters. Sorry for misleading anyone! Anyways, I will be starting a new story! I have a lot of new ideas, I just don't know which one to use. Message me or something to let me know what you think! Thanks!


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